Homework: Before you set off on your summer road trip, check out rules and regs and make a list of dog parks, vets and doggie hang-outs at your destination (and stops along the way). There are apps for that—BringFido (bringfido.com), for example.

Be Ready: Put together a “go-bag” for your dog, which can also serve as an emergency kit; include basic first-aid supplies, an extra collar with ID tags, a leash, bowls, a couple of old towels or a blanket, and perhaps food with a good shelf life.

Overheating: It’s nice to have company when you’re running around doing errands, but this time of the year, it’s best to let your co-pilot snooze at home rather than in your car. Even if it’s “not that hot,” even with the windows down, even in the shade, cars heat up fast, and heatstroke kills.

Humidity: And it’s not just the heat, it’s the humidity. Dogs pant to cool off, evaporating body heat by moving it across their wet tongues, and high humidity slows down that process.

Car Safety: If you don’t already use one, invest in a canine restraint device for your car. A loose dog can distract you, or worse, become airborne if you suddenly hit the brakes.

Water Safety: Before taking your pooch on the water, be sure she can swim (not all dogs do). Buckle her into a canine lifejacket if you’ll be on a fast-moving river or open water. Too much water might also not be a good thing. Swimming, diving for balls or even playing with a water hose can lead to water intoxication that can result in life threatening hyponatremia (excessively low sodium levels).

Splash: A rigid kiddie pool is a perfect place for a hot dog to cool off. A floating toy or two will make it even more irresistible.

Frosty Treats: Or cool her down with frozen treats. Some dogs like plain ice cubes, but practically any food your dog likes can be frozen (try easy-release silicone ice trays or cupcake pans). More recipes online;

Fear Less: Tis the season of thunderstorms and fireworks. If your dog is upset by their noise and flash, get good advice from dog-behavior pro Patricia McConnell at thebark.com/fear. Or check out Thundershirt.

Stung: Some dogs love chasing bees— until they catch one. Be prepared; before that happens, review thebark.com/stings.

Good Host: Doing some outdoor entertaining? Plan ahead with your dog in mind. Start with keeping the yard gate closed and secured, then make sure that all those tasty picnic classics—bones, skewers, corn cobs—don’t make their way into Fido’s stomach.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Additionally, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

If you or your pet had contact with the recalled product, you are advised to watch for symptoms that may develop. Common symptoms associated with Listeria infection include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominalpain, and diarrhea. If you, your pet or a family member is experiencing these symptoms, you are urged to contact a medical professional.

According to a company release, Bravo! discontinued all manufacturing in New Zealand on Oct. 10, 2013, and will work immediately with distributors and retailers to properly dispose of any affected product left on freezer shelves.

The recalled Bravo! pet food products, which can be identified by the batch ID code (best used by date) printed on the side of the plastic tube or on a label on the box, were dispersed nationwide to distributors, retail stores, internet retailers and directly to consumers.

At the time of this release, a limited number of dogs were reported to have experienced nausea and diarrhea that may have been associated with the recalled Bravo! pet food products. The company has received no reports of human illness as a result of these products.

Pet owners who have product(s) affected by this food recall are advised to dispose of the product(s) in a safe manner such as placing the item(s) in a securely covered trash receptacle. Customers can also return to the store where the product(s) were purchased and submit the Product Recall Claim Form available on the Bravo! website www.bravopetfoods.com for a full refund or store credit.

More information on the Bravo! recall can also be found atwww.bravopetfoods.com, or call toll free 1-866-922-9222.

Although there are some vegetables that are dangerous to dogs, some of them can actually improve your dog’s health! We found this great picture showing the vegetables that are good for your dog and the benefits they provide!

Pro-Pet, an Ohio-based pet food manufacturer, has issued a voluntary recall for a limited number of dry dog and cat foods due to possible Salmonellacontamination.

The following products are included in the recall:

Product

Best By

Lot Code

UPC Number

40 lb Hubbard Life Happy Hound Dog Food

05 06 14

096 13 SM L2 2A

1219033878

40 lb Hubbard Life Happy Hound Dog Food

05 06 14

096 13 SM L2 1A

1219033878

18 lb Hubbard Life Cat Stars Cat Food

05 06 14

096 13 SM L2 1A

1219033873

40 lb Hubbard Life Maintenance Dog Food

05 06 14

096 13 SM L2 2A

1219033875

15 lb Joy Combo Cat Food

05 06 14

096 13 SM L2 1A

7065407721

40 lb Joy Combo Cat Food

05 06 14

096 13 SM L2 1A

7065407713

40 lb Joy Combo Cat Food

05 06 14

096 13 SM L2 2A

7065407713

20 lb QC Plus Adult Dog Food

05 07 14

097 13 SM L2 2A

2351780103

40 lb QC Plus Adult Dog Food

05 07 14

097 13 SM L2 2A

2351780104

40 lb QC Plus Adult Dog Food

05 07 14

097 13 SM L2 1A

2351780104

According to a press release issued by the FDA, the products affected by this pet food recall were distributed through select retailers, distributors and online consumer purchases in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.

At the time of this report, no illnesses have been reported.

If you or your pet had contact with the recalled product, you are advised to watch for symptoms that may develop. Common symptoms associated with Salmonellapoisoning include diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain. If you, your pet, or a family member is experiencing these symptoms, you are urged to contact a medical professional.

Customers are also advised to immediately discontinue use of any impacted product and contact Pro-Pet at 1-888-765-4190 for disposition. Customer service representatives will be available Monday through Friday from 8AM to 5PM Central Time.

Although we have had a surprisingly calm Winter here in Washington, other locations have had more extreme climates. We want to make sure you are all staying safe out there and keeping you informed on some issues that arise with the cold Winter months.

Preventing Winter Issues in Your Pets

As we get into the heart of winter, sometimes it’s good to remind ourselves of some of the problems our pets face during the cold winter months. Some dogs and cats need minimal care, while others don’t fare well at all. A little prevention can make winter easier for both you and your pets!

Shedding

For pets that spend more time inside during the winter, the indoor heat can take its toll on their skin and coat. It causes moisture loss and dry skin, resulting in uncomfortable itching. Their winter coat also becomes too much for them, and they’ll start shedding to get comfortable again – the reason why many people feel their pet has been shedding all winter.

Coat strippers help remove the dead hair coat without damaging the remaining coat – they’re excellent for those double-coated dogs with a winter coat that wants to mat. Mars Coat Strippers will remove dead hair mats with little pulling of the skin. The result is a fluffed-up coat that keeps them warm outside and breathes on the inside, which lets your pet be more comfortable in all temperatures.

Once the dead hair is removed, bathing helps clean the skin and replace the lost oils and moisture. Many forget that some dogs are itchy just from the winter grime of everyday living, so bathing is important for healthy breathing skin.VET BASICS® Oatmeal Protein Shampoo replaces winter moisture loss while cleaning the winter grime from the skin and coat. You know your dog’s coat: if you feel you have an extra dry coat, use a cream rinse such as Fresh ‘N Clean® or Premier Cream Rinse every 2 weeks to rejuvenate the coat. Cream rinses help the coat repel moisture and ice, so they’re great for dogs that spend time outside. They’re most helpful when used in the cold of winter and in the hot summer sun.

Nail Care

Rough ground and surfaces help wear down your pet’s nails naturally, so it’s easy to rely on nature to trim your pet’s nails during the summer. However, nail trimming is often forgotten during the winter, which results in long nails that tend to break or crack, causing pain.

Foot restraint is a submissive problem for pets, and many are uncomfortable with it. Before you trim for the first time, rub and massage their feet when pets are relaxed to let them know that it’s okay to let you restrain their feet. Start slow until you and your pet are comfortable. The Oster® Gentle Paws is perfect for the novice nail trimmer – it’s essentially a powered emery board. It won’t let the nail get too short, and dogs like the sanding effect, which won’t twist the nail like clipping sometimes does. Before touching the nail, rub the leg and paw with the trimmer running so they get used to the quiet sound. Once they calm down, you can trim one nail at a time while speaking softly – they should respond in kind.

Ear Care

Ears build up more waxy material in the winter because the skin is trying to replace the lost oils. Clean the ear canal at least twice a month to avoid issues. Check the ear canal and put a small amount of Doc Roy’s® EAR CLEANSER, rub gently, then wipe with a soft tissue or cotton ball. If the ear is infected or irritated, clean the ear several times, then daily until resolved. Most ear infections can be cured with daily cleaning if they are caught early.

Skin & Coat Care

Some dogs also need inside-out support for skin and coat care. Fatty acid supplements such as Doc Roy’s® TRI OMEGA 3 are helpful for preventing cracking and replacing the oils of the skin from the inside out. Omega 3 has anti-inflammatory effects that help with joint and pad trauma while Omega 6 will keep the tissue soft and the pad pliable. Both keep trauma, ulcer and deep pad cracks in check.

The footpad is actually a huge, thick callus that heals quickly with care. Salt and snow melts dry out the pad, causing cracking and licking. Be sure to wash winter ice melt off your dog’s feet and apply a moisturizer. If repair is needed, use Mega-Tek Pet Rebuilder. Mega-Tek will moisturize and heal the chemical damage. House dogs usually need boots or socks to prevent excessive licking and chewing of the pad. Children’s socks work, but one warning. This year I put 4 socks on our dog, and when she ventured from carpet to hardwood floors, feet went everywhere! She did learn to handle it quickly, but it was the funniest thing she has done in her 9 years.

Joint Care

Feet problems are common in winter and surprisingly, most are arthritis-driven. Sore joints will cause limping and poor foot placement, which increases trauma to a pad. Oral glucosamine and chondroitin, such as Doc Roy’s® ACHES AWAY, will increase the joint fluid, easing fatigue and trauma. The result of both is a pad and joint system that will give to the concussion trauma of running. Pain-free running will keep your dog placing their feet correctly, which decreases the wear on their joints.

As a veterinarian, it is ironic that I’ve had to deal with every one of these problems in my own pets, but that just means they could happen to anyone. Preventing winter issues on the outside and the inside out as well as appropriate shampoo has made winter easier for us. A few of these prevention practices can keep your pet healthy and feeling good all winter long.

As we all know, dogs can get in to things that they aren’t always supposed to and sometimes these items can be harmful to your dog or too big for your dog to ingest. Hearing your dog try to cough up whatever he got into is always a scary thing, especially if they can’t! We found this very informative article on Petmd.com which gives you step-by-step instructions on how to perform the Heimlich Maneuver on your dog and what to watch for!

How to Perform the Heimlich Maneuver if your Dog is Choking

Most dogs will chew nearly anything: bones, toys, shoes, socks, etc. But would you know what to do if something became lodged in the windpipe or stuck on the palate and your dog began to choke? It’s important that you do not wait for veterinary assistance, as the dog may suffocate.

What To Watch For

If the dog is suffocating, it will often panic. A dog may paw at its mouth if something is lodged, though this does not necessarily mean it is choking. Another suspicious sign of choking is an unresponsive or unconscious dog; in these cases, check the throat and mouth for foreign objects.

Primary Cause

Almost any small object can cause choking, though the most common are hard rubber balls, lumps of gristle, and chew toys or sticks that have become swollen due to moisture.

Immediate Care

Be very careful when dealing with a choking dog, as even calm animals will panic when they cannot breathe. Protect yourself by restraining the dog, but do not muzzleit.

Use both hands to open the mouth, with one hand on the upper jaw and the other on the lower.

Grasping the jaws, press the lips over the dog’s teeth so that they are between the teeth and your fingers.

Look inside the mouth and remove the obstruction with your fingers.

If you can’t move the object with your fingers, use a flat spoon handle to pry it away from the teeth or roof of the mouth.

If the dog is still choking and you can’t see anything in the mouth, or the dog has fallen unconscious, follow these guidelines.

For a SMALL Dog

Pick the dog up by its thighs and gently shake and swing it. If his condition does not improve, apply forward pressure to the abdomen just behind the ribcage.

For a LARGE Dog

Do not try to pick up, shake, or swing a large dog; you’re more likely to do further damage due to the animal’s size. Instead, perform the equivalent of the Heimlich maneuver:

If the dog is standing, put your arms around her belly, joining your hands. Make a fist and push firmly up and forward, just behind the rib cage. Place the dog on his side afterward.

If the dog is lying down, place one hand on the back for support and use the other hand to squeeze the abdomen upwards and forwards.

Check the dog’s mouth and remove any objects that may have been dislodges with your fingers.

Note that the object might be quite a way back towards the throat, so you might have to hunt around and hook it out with your index finger. If the dog required artificial respiration or CPR, seek immediate veterinary attention.

Veterinary Care

It is likely objects stuck in the throat have caused damage. Depending on the length of time the dog was without oxygen and the damage to the throat, the dog may require hospitalization for a few days. In some cases, bronchoscopy (whereby a small camera is inserted into the windpipe to visualize and remove the foreign body) may be recommended.

Although this may just be minor scratching, it is still important that a veterinarian examine the dog for potential problems. Sometimes foreign bodies stuck in theesophagus such as bones can cause respiratory distress and mimic choking.

Prevention

The best way to prevent choking is to treat your dog as you would a small child. Although it’s almost impossible to stop them putting things in their mouth, you should always be present and keep an eye on what they’re chewing. Avoid moisture-swollen chew toys or sticks, and cut up large chunks of food, especially gristle. T-bones are also known to cause choking when given to dogs.